Humain data center Riyadh: 6GW campus infrastructure contract goes to Al-Yamama
The Humain data center in Riyadh now has an infrastructure contractor. Humain, the AI company owned by the Public Investment Fund, has awarded the infrastructure contract for a planned 6GW hyperscale AI data centre campus in the Al-Saad area of east Riyadh to Dammam-based Al-Yamama Company for Trading & Contracting, MEED reported on 24 September 2026. The scope includes the water network and fire protection systems for the campus.
Key takeaways
- Client: Humain. Contractor: Al-Yamama Company for Trading & Contracting, based in Dammam.
- The campus covers about 24 sq km in Al-Saad, east Riyadh, and is planned in two phases across six plots of 1GW each.
- The scope covers power networks and substations, the water network and fire protection systems, drainage, roads and underground cable and fibre.
- Neither the contract value nor a completion date was disclosed.
Contract details as reported by MEED
According to MEED, Humain tendered the contract in May and is using early contractor involvement (ECI): shortlisted teams submit methodologies and designs, then one team is selected to build. The scope includes:
- An electrical distribution network at 380kV, 132kV and 33kV.
- Two substations of 500MVA and 200MVA, and a 2,000MVA bulk supply point.
- The water network and fire protection systems.
- A sewage treatment plant and wastewater network, plus stormwater systems.
- Roads, underground cable and fibre optic networks, and landscaping.
MEED added that Humain is supported by consultants Hatch, Egis and JLL. Enterprise confirmed the award on 27 September 2026, citing MEED, and described the works as the backbone of the campus, again without a value or delivery date.
What it means for the Saudi market
This contract covers campus infrastructure, not the data hall buildings themselves. Still, fire protection systems appearing in this scope means the site-wide fire water network is part of the infrastructure package now awarded. With each 1GW plot, building packages normally follow: fire alarm, special suppression for server and electrical rooms, fire pumps, and security and access control.
These facilities differ from typical commercial buildings. Server rooms generally cannot tolerate water discharge, so designers turn to clean agent or aerosol suppression, with a design that proves the room will hold the required agent concentration. In Saudi Arabia all of this goes through Civil Defense approval and must comply with the Saudi Building Code.
AZEIDK Expert Take
This news does not mean the in-building fire packages have been tendered; no source says so. Suppliers and subcontractors aiming at data centre work will still benefit from preparing early: datasheets and listing certificates for every product, agent concentration and hold time calculations under NFPA 2001 for clean agents, and a plan for the room integrity test. Our clean agent suppression comparison helps when weighing the options. AZEIDK provides special fire suppression systems together with the engineering design and calculations needed for approval submittals.
Sources
- Contractor wins 6GW data centre campus infrastructure, MEED, 24 September 2026
- Al Yamama takes the infrastructure contract for Humain’s 6 GW Riyadh AI campus, Enterprise (KSA), 27 September 2026
